Local News

ABATE hosts Best of the West

18 from District One attend Motorcycle Riders Foundation conference

By Don Enninga

Regional coordinator

Posted:
06/17/2014 07:04:07 AM MDT

Kirk Fry, ABATE District One legislative officer, with Rep. Lori Saine and Jeff Hennie, vice president of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, at the MRF Best of the West regional conference held June 6-7 in Frisco. Fry was one of 18 members representing the northeast Colorado district of ABATE at the conference. (Courtesy photo)

What did 100 motorcyclists from Colorado and across America have in common on June 6 and 7? They were all attendees at the MRF (Motorcycle Riders Foundation) Best of the West regional conference in Frisco. The conference, one of three that the MRF puts on each year, was hosted by ABATE of Colorado and was held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Frisco. MRF members from 24 states, from Washington state on the west to Washington, D.C. on the east, attended to hear presentations about motorcycle issues including the status of motorcycle only checkpoints, noise issues, intelligent transportation systems and rider responsibility among others.

The keynote speaker for the Saturday night banquet was State Representative Lori Saine of Firestone from House District 63. Saine spoke to the group about the government's role in our lives, what we as individuals can do to preserve our rights and freedoms and the importance of being involved in the political process as citizens of this state and great country. Saine has been serving in the Colorado State Legislature since 2012 when she was overwhelmingly chosen as the Republican nominee for House District 63 in 2012 and in 2014.

Saine was one of the conservative champions in the legislature, earning an A+ rating on the The Principles Of Liberty Scorecard on the main planks of the Republican Party platform and has earned the coveted House Champion award from the Colorado Union of Taxpayers for defending the taxpayers of House District 63.

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The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF), incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based national motorcyclists' rights organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The MRF monitors and when necessary, sways federal legislation and regulatory action that pertains to street riders. The MRF concerns itself with what is going on in the arena of motorcycling safety education, training, licensing, and public awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists' rights organizations with direction and information to protect motorcyclists' rights and motorcycling.

Rep. Lori Saine gives the keynote address at the Best of the West banquet. (Courtesy photo)

The MRF sponsors annual regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists' rights activists and publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, The MRF Reports. The MRF website is: mrf.org and the office in Washington, DC can be reached at: 202-546-0983. Jeff Hennie is the Vice President of Government relations and Public Affairs for the MRF and is a very effective voice for motorcyclists in Washington DC.

ABATE of Colorado, a Colorado motorcycle rights organization, was the primary sponsor for this year's Best of the West. ABATE members from all over Colorado provided assistance with the hospitality room, registration, parking lot security and food and beverages. Varying ABATE Districts provided the necessary help and funds to put on this year's conference. ABATE of CO, District One, had 18 members attending the conference from northeast Colorado with other members from the Front Range to Pueblo and the mountains also attending and helping at the conference.

ABATE District One and other areas will continue to promote rider education as well as member and public education to make the roads safer for those riding motorcycles as well as for motorists in general.

Protecting the rights of those who ride motorcycles is an ongoing and important mission of ABATE of Colorado as is the Rider Education classes that are being offered June through August at Morgan Community College in Fort Morgan and at the airport in Sterling. Those wishing to enroll in a class can contact the ABATE office at 303-789-3264 or go to the website at abateofcolo.org. Anyone interested in joining ABATE of Colorado, District One can contact Dave Cawley at 970-380-4232, Don Enninga at 970-768-5599 or going to the ABATE website at http://abateofcolo.org/.

RE-1 Valley School District has announced its policy for determining eligibility of children who may receive free and reduced price meals served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program.
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